Rivaille x Reader: Estranged
by sciodeduct
Summary: It's been rumored that Levi used to be a thug before he became Man's Greatest Soldier. Before he had been recruited, he had left behind some acquaintances, especially a young girl. This explores the past and why the two ended so abruptly before Levi's recruitment.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This work will comprise mainly of past memories, any actual present interaction with Levi is currently unknown. I've started reading the manga so maybe i'll gather more history from Levi if there is any. **

**I intend to put as much back story as possible. Since AnT takes on a Germanic setting, there'll be some German words tossed around here and there. Why you have knowledge of Spanish is so there is more diversity and some history... and also because I know the language. In this work the Spanish language will be referred to as Castellano since it's also recognized by that name. Besides, imagine speaking seductively in a Romance language to Levi.**

-

He grew up to be quite the young man, you thought, watching him ride on his destrier. In the wave of concentrated faces, his gaze maintained a stoic glare, unchanging as you detected it. You wondered if he ever had a thought about you since he had been recruited. Did he even know you had dispatched from the group of thieves sometime after he left?

Perhaps not. Going by his unfazed expression, you assumed he knew nothing.

Not that you could blame him, Levi was in a better place. Sort of.

It had been a lovely day thus far. Despite the growing tension of a humanoid bioweapon, life in Wall Rose had been relatively the same. Again, sort of. Leaving the crowd of intrigued denizens you continued with your usual routine. After passing by the cult who worshipped the Wall, you persisted to smuggle a thing or two before you would return to the orphanage.

They had called you many things. Typically praising your ability to snatch things before you were caught or being able to flee without a trace.

That was in the past, though.

The thievery was typically done when the military police were nowhere near. Titans breaking into the wall had been inconceivable. The idea was worthy of derision. However, due to the unfortunate event five years ago, the ability to commit petty thievery plummeted drastically. Soldiers had now stood at every corner.

Their shoulders heaved from tension. Their hands practically cemented on the hilt of their masterly crafted blades. Although none shone brightest like Rivaille's when he brandished them.

You wonder how Levi would have dealt with this. This increased security. Maybe not as successful as he had been, you mused. A mischievous grin played on your lips.

"Thinking about something, _?" Rosa asked. She eyed you knowingly as she shifted the produce on the counter, hidden beneath cloth stretched out above.

You halted midstride at the familiar voice, recalling at once you needed to purchase fruit. Sheepish, you placed a tendril of hair behind your ear from an incoming breeze. The sign of a drizzle imminent once the scent of rain settled upon the town.

"Nothing in particular, _frau_," you lied, avoiding eye contact as you perused the fruits. You inspected a few, ignoring the speculative stare from the grocer.

She waggled a finger at you disapprovingly and demanded that you cough up your thoughts.

"For a good thief you're sure terrible at lying," she pointed out.

You corrected the middle aged woman. "I used to be, now pipe down, no one needs to know."

The wrinkles on her cheeks ironed out from a playful smile. A snicker made the blood in your face boil.

The two of you had been friends since you moved into Wall Rose before the Titan attack, forging a rapport after you caught a thief by the scruff of his neck. This was when you learned about the orphanage and eventually volunteered after deciding redemption. Since the attack, you basically came to run the place after the original owners decided to hightail it out of Rose.

"Of course of course," the older woman went, adjusting her apron. "But I am very familiar with that look in your eyes," she leaned over the produce, her grey eyes gleaming.

The heavy clouds pulled apart, allowing a ray to shower down the lively town. It warmed your shoulders when the trot of numerous horses came down the cobbled path. A person whispered an apology after he had accidentally shoved you closer into the produce display.

"I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about," you replied. "I was just thinking about the children back at the orphanage,"

Just then the low excited voices of the onlookers rose into shouts of praise. Irwin, one crowed, another name after another until one particular name was shouted.

Rosa gave a rackety laugh when she noticed you freeze up at the name of Levi.

"With that look, I would be concerned for the young boys under your care,"

You ignored the comment.

Without realizing it, you turned in hopes of catching a closer look on Levi, an old friend. A friend from a past that felt like eons ago, as though in the first place had never belonged to you.

And there he was. His lips moved, uttering a curse you would no doubt get right. His head turned when a bespectacled female interjected to his mutterings.

You felt instant animosity. Rosa brought you back when she yelled out a bawdy comment. Everyone in earshot turned to her at once. Thanks the gods that none of the soldiers caught wind of what was said.

At least you hoped so. There had been no reaction.

"Have you no shame!?" you growled.

A rotund old woman, hair of dry wheat done up in a bun, and the sage-like eyes were betrayed by that tainted silver tongue of hers.

_I wonder if you slayed many a virgin's flower as much as you had Titans!_ She had said, hands on her hips and laughter hopping from her lips as she threw back her head.

Incorrigible, you thought. It wasn't anything new yet the inhabitants still cringed at what she had or could have said.

"_Verdammt_," You slapped down a gold piece and scurried off, quickening when the old bat sang another comment. Thank the gods the Scouting legion had gone farther off.

Later that night after a rowdy chase to place the rascals of children into bed, you were quick to sleep and incapable to avoid falling into dream.

It had been nostalgic.

You sat atop a crate, kicking your legs while perusing a book that been given to you by one of the lead thieves.

The warm light of the afternoon seeped through the sliver opening of the curtain, shading the book in half and heating up your left thigh.

"_Hey brat_," a familiar voice growled from the right. A creak of the door was engendered by the entrance of a young Levi. His face had been fuller, not gaunt like it would be in the future.

"Is it true you speak another tongue?"

Reluctant, you moved your head towards his direction. Your eyes never left the text. He sighed exasperatedly by your divided attention.

"…Somewhat," you confirmed. "Why?"

"What kind of question is that!?"

"…A truthful one,"

"But we have always lives behind these walls."

"It doesn't mean just one tongue remained," you replied, shifting over a page before the sneaky hand of Levi flew for the corner of the book until your hand slammed right on top of his.

You shook your head. "No way, _mistkerl_,"

He withdrew his hand and demanded your attention. In a show of solidarity on your strained rapport, you placed the book aside, opened.

"A distant ancestor of mine had come from another land and essentially came here, bringing his culture along with him. Just like the people of Orient, but rare to see nowadays," you explained, "before the disappearance of my parents, they taught me the tongue, they had said at one time that this tongue was once spoken to the Gods."

"Horse droppings!" he objected.

"_Tu madre_," you muttered disdainfully. Feeling aggravated by your fellow occupant's flippancy.

"What? Wait, did you just say something in anoth-"

"Nothing," you hissed. "Now head back to cleaning duty before Pops tans your hide!"

You remembered how angry he had been after he was reminded.

A smile was etched into your face when you awoke to the pitter-patter of feet scattering down the halls.

The day remained its gloom from yesterday. A patch of grey clouds bore a silver heart while you began your daily rounds.

It'd be sometime until the Scouting legion would out from the wall. You wondered how Levi was doing when you once again felt the suggestive eyes of Rosa.

"I recall from the grape vine that Corporal Levi used to be a thug, once upon a time," the older woman said.

You joined her behind the grocer stand, watching the people weave pass in waves. Sipping the tea you grunted in confirmation to Rosa's statement. You swallowed hard and felt your throat quickly dry.

"You look like a saint walking around for the orphans' benefits, but you sit like a man," she pointed out in a whisper, smiling at a customer when they had paid for their fruits. "Now straighten up and close your legs!"

"Sorry," you blushed.

After the morning traffic had slowed, Rosa joined you, wiping sweat from her brow.

"We grew up together as young rascals," you began, staring at the steam billowing up from the glittering liquid. "I wasn't as good a thief as Levi was, but I was recognized for my achievements. Unlike Levi who requires that contraption to fly from wall to wall, I was able to scale over walls and leap around. They called me _sie Wand Kletterer,_"

"I doubt you could fly from wall to wall,"

"Of course not, but I knew how to get around, so to say," another sip, "it would be amazing if I could fly."

"So why hadn't you joined the army?"

You shook your head.

"Levi and I had a bad falling out," you confessed, doing your best to hide your conflicted emotion, "It was better for me to stay. It benefitted me in the end. I now take care of children,"

"And I respect you for taking on that responsibility, those owners were low to abandon their establishment."

A snort came involuntarily from you at the mention of the previous owners. They had been cruel. The man worked the children to the bone and the woman was stingy with the donated currency.

"They fled into Wall Sina. They were actually related to a noble who lives in there…"

"Hm…" Rosa rose from her crate and interacted with a young woman who needed produce. The old woman was known for having one of the best fruits in town, especially at the price she offered. Better you sell more than less; the more you give away the more money comes in, not the other way around. That was her philosophy. Her generosity was what also deterred you from committing further thievery. The task of taking care of the entire orphanage had become a strain on your health.

"Is it impolite if I asked what happened between you and Levi?"

You shook your head.

"It's simple," you smiled ruefully. "We were infatuated."

-  
**AN: I'm open to help with the German language! Feedback is great and it'll expedite the frequency of incoming chapters. There is no set of required feedback, this is more for me to keep me motivated since I would continue posting anyway, but more at my pace unless otherwise. I hope you enjoy and have a nice day!**

**ALSO, for those waiting on His Compassion, it'll be updated next month, I've been busy doing research for the story. Many apologies.**


	2. Chapter 2

If it weren't for Levi, you'd probably have lost a leg and died of pneumonia. You were drenched to the bone and shivering like a leaf. The thinness of your clothes revealed dapples of your skin beneath. You crossed your arms, partly to somehow warm up and mostly to cover what needed to be covered.

Every now and then the spasms of the chill which racked your body would become much more intense with every flinch under his warm callous touch. The blood had dried on your upper lip, but the metallic taste still stung after each taste. You spat it out beside you to which Levi admonished. "Watch it,"

You grunted in response.

Around your right leg was the ripped cloth torn from the young boy's sleeve. He wound it tight and explained it would help stop the bleeding when you had smacked your back against the wall and slid downwards from the unexpected pain. He leaned further to the right evading the involuntarily kick of your left leg. The entire time you watched his intense gaze. It appeared relatively calm; however, to the much experienced eye one would notice the panic from the enlargement of his pupils.

After further inspection he gave a firm nod, more to himself than to you and stood. You peered up at him, shivering all the while as he removed his cloak and knelt beside you. He draped his cloak on the arched knee.

"W-wh-what are you—?"

"Shh,"

He wedged his hand between the wall and your back, leaning you forward and tugging the tattered cloth from your shoulders and gingerly adorned you with his. His head hovered above your ear.

"Can you stand?"

The confirmation resulted negatively.

Levi sighed.

"Okay, give me a minute."

Despite his scrawny appearance the young raven-haired boy could definitely lift. With the slightest of a grunt, he carefully held you through the rain, doing his best to walk beneath numerous jetties along the way.

"So what the hell were you thinking?" Levi kicked open the door and trudged into the closest resting area. Settling you down upon one of the beds he slipped off your cloak, hanging it dry over a wicker chair and his on another.

You glared after him, not wanting to give this guy an explanation. All by childish ignorance, of course. "I wasn't," you growled.

Levi stiffened at that. After a second or so he continued movement, slipping off his shirt and slung it over to the laundry basket. It tilted to the side before it returned in place.

At the sight of his bare back you turned away. You scooted further into bed, carefully dragging the wounded right leg after the left.

"Don't move,"

"I'll be fine,"

There was no point in arguing with you, he realized. "At least this time you're not much of a crybaby like before."

You knew what he meant then remembered.

The leading man of this thieving troupe was at a boiling at receiving notice of an injured man. When he realized it was you, perhaps the anger receded to a lower temperature. In place, when he found you alright, an overwhelming concern doused the hellfire.

When he came to visit you, he'd dragged a chair behind him and placed it beside your bed, with a plate in hand.

"What were you doing?" the burly man inquired one particular morning. Knowing well that if he left the subject untouched for a while you'd finally let up. He placed a plate with a baked potato and steak on the side, exuding a mouthwatering scent. Your stomach growled.

"I was trying to find a new route," you confessed, inching towards the food.

He raised a brow. "Reason being?"

"To escape, of course," You eyed the bag he brought in.

"Those soldiers can still run after you, with those contraptions hanging off their hips."

You grinned. "Not when they're drunk,"

The man gave a faint smile back and it disappeared as quickly as it came.

His name was Johannes. A big man standing at 6'3 and a whole lot of weight included. Just a casual walk revealed the strength he innately held; could take up a door frame sometimes and would have to sidestep through. The veins like roots protruded visibly beneath his pale skin. A punch from him could knock a man onto his behind, easy.

Johannes remained stern yet the mirth in his eyes was unmistakable. He proceeded to unwind the wrap, much to your apprehension, and lifted a bottle of alcohol from the bag.

Your eyes widened. "B-but…"

"It's so you won't get infected," he said, unscrewing the top, "If I don't you'll get infected and we'll end up having to slice it off."

After the painful session you were sent to sleep. Johannes hobbled to the door, opening it to find the half-pint standing there.

The brown-haired mass of muscle stared down at him, appraising him for a moment before he realized why the boy was there.

"She'll be fine, Lev,"

The boy remained stagnate. He nodded once.

"I suppose you can check in on her, but don't make a sound." Johannes laid a powerful hand on the boy's shoulder. Gave it a squeeze and disappeared into another room.

Levi watched from the door frame, placing a hand on the doorknob, wondering whether he should sit beside you or not. He watched intensely at the rhythmic movement of your body, the way it rose and fell without impediment.

"Gute nacht," the door clicked softly behind him.

*  
Levi peered up at the wall you fell from later that night, giving a mandatory appraisal while he walked near it. The carefully carved stone of it made him understand the interest. He ran his hand along the wall; his fingers felt the indentations in between. He stepped back, reclining his head so he could gain a better look. The cloisters were where you had intended to scale up too. At the top was a garden where the nobles of the inner district went to gather.

After a mulling of the traces you had probably thought up, the young man tried to get an inkling of what you were trying to plan. He peered down at his shoes then to the wall where you lost your grip and experienced a harsh drop.

It took a good minute to gather his footing into the gap lines, but he managed to get a grip. Unfortunately, the droplets that developed after the rain kept pelting down his face. Wrinkled his nose, batted his eyes, Levi let go after two crawlings and dropped safely into a crouch.

"She's insane," was his surmise. Rubbing the moisture off his hands with the cloak, he made his trek back to headquarters. Not without taking a job or two.

"I want to be able to crawl over the mighty walls," you confessed to Levi one afternoon after a week of recovery. One of the grunt thugs came over to untie the wraps, giving a light tap and implored you to be more careful next time. You winced at the contact, but conceded as he went off.

A chair screeched against the wooden floors. Levi turned in his seat, resting his torso against the support and folded his arms atop with his chin nestled on his left wrist.

"You're crazy, there's no way you can do that, no one can," then it hit him, "You don't mean to join the military? For that gear they wear?"

You heaved a sigh—not confirming nor dismissing his inquiry—you went to stand until the other urged you to be careful. "I got this," you said in a brook tone. Careful, you slowly placed weight onto the right leg. It gave a good smart though you were determined to ignore the pain.

"_..."

You waved his concern dismissively.

"Whatever happened to leaving my hide behind if I ever got into a pinch?" you asked while you waddled about the room. You felt his gaze bore into you, unsure of what to read from his face. Levi's eyes were black, you realized, not his eye color, but rather the windows into his soul were draped shut with black curtains. It was like trying to peer into the darkness, but nothing showed except for the outline of something one would attempt to distinguish. You had no idea the structure of his thoughts… Not like it mattered anyway.

A pensive air fell off him while his eyes followed at your feet, speculating a reply but nothing reasonable fell through in mind. He opted for the obvious.

"Because Johannes made me promise that I'd watch after you once you finally decided to become a squirrel,"

You snorted at the reply. The boy lifted from his seat and scooted the chair back in its proper place before he went over to you. He grabbed onto your hand gently, hoping to coax you back into bed.

"C'mon," Satisfied with your lack of resistance he led you to bed. "Maybe if you take it easy for the rest of the day, perhaps you'll be able to join the heist later on."

You fell asleep knowing Levi stayed in the room. It was the first and probably last time you'd find him act so kindly towards you in this fashion. As you both had gotten older, things turned for the worst.

You both were about 12. You had been taller than Levi when puberty hit you at an earlier age than most, but he swore he was to catch up.

The thought made you giggle. Sadly, you hadn't grown much since then, but Levi managed to later though stopped at a measly few inches taller. You sat at the table, flipping yellowed pages from an old diary as you reminisced of the past. The wind from the opened window whistled by, quivering the ends of your combed hair and the pages.

"So when did you officially meet Levi?" It was Rosa. You greeted her at the opened door and a few young boys and girls ran out with childish screams trailing after them. She had come to visit so she could bring word of a boy, formerly under your care, who had declared to visit you from the military. You had already known. Regardless the news of it being repeated made your heart alight. For some reason Rosa gave you a questioning look, wondering if your happiness to the boy would somehow bring Levi back.

What a crazy lady. Not too far off though. "What's with the sudden interest?" you said in a sing-song voice, gesturing the woman in.

"Curious," was her flat toned reply.

"I was barely nine, my parents were gone and I became a lowly beggar," you informed, pulling a seat for the older woman and returning to yours. "Somewhere along the way I met a big man who lost his daughter to illness and boy who followed after him."


	3. Chapter 3

The shadows danced, mimicking the movement of a torch whose flame swayed to an unheard tune. At times, the insistent partner would gust by, causing the flames to lean in either direction. On the night of one of the most terrible storms, a young girl sat beneath a holdfast near the entrance of an underground tunnel in the Inner Wall that carried said torch.

You sniffled between damp matted hair and huddled up best you could to shut out the chill. Mom was gone, dad disappeared quickly after. They hadn't returned since the last month on a night similar to this. The storm certainly brought bad luck. Away in the safety of the underground tunnel the rain pelted loudly against the empty streets as though a Titan dropped numerous marbles all at once.

Not long ago had a soldier come by, but going by the slurred song of some unchaste tune you knew well to avoid him. When he had disappeared you reemerged from the shadows and prayed for a miracle.

He didn't understand why the boy insisted on following him. It was irritating and Johannes was not in the mood to be toyed with. On a night like this in particular, the man just wanted to drown under the rain with cursed spirits in hand. He wanted to indulge in the painful heat that would scorch his chest and receive him from the pain, even if it were to be awhile.

The thieve's guild had been silent. Shavings of blades against whetstone were the only tune to play during the period of grief. Whenever she had been in mind, he'd head out back, tempering his knives before a heist. His men, in a show of solidarity would join him, partaking in his ritual.

Despite her fragility, she had been loved.

Levi had never gotten the privilege to meet the girl, but he knew the cost of life. For a boy he was precocious. He had come to Johannes after the boy was told to disengage from a former branch. Normally, Johannes wouldn't have questioned it, but it could not be helped.

The boy was 9.

Something about a conflict of interest, he wasn't entirely sure. If he was sure about one thing, it was how much he wanted to be alone.

He pulled the cloak over his head when the rain decided to pelt harder. "Boy," Johannes warned, "You must go back, where I go is no place for a child like you."

Levi had been known to be obedient, but childish inclinations still presided over at the worst of times. "No," he shot back, tailing him tiredly. The boy had been following him for hours. Johannes couldn't discern whether the boy knew his plan to tire him out or was just stupid. Perhaps he had been ordered by one of the other thieves in authority. If so, this boy would not let up.

_A good trait…_ the man noted. _Just… not now._

Having enough of this nonsense, he stopped midstride and turned toward the boy, shoving a threatening finger at Levi's nose.

Between wet lips, he warned the boy to head back he would end up regretting it later. The confrontation had nearly cracked the boy until a distressed cry echoed out from an underground corridor.

His dark eyes bugged in their sockets, threatening to slip out. Johannes noticed the expression and demanded the boy to speak up.

Levi lifted a thin hand and pointed towards the end of the street. The man followed it, realizing his age when he finally heard the cry. A flame that illuminated the entrance extinguished quickly after.

"Gott," he gasped.

A girl roughly the same age as Levi cried in her sleep. It could be surmised that she had tried to obtain the torch held in its holdfast, but had burned her when she had thrown a slipper at it. As she would later explain in a fit of tears and snot, she feared she would die. She had been stripped of the basic necessities and feared she would die if she couldn't properly warm herself up. In vain, the strong throw of the slipper managed to loosen the torch and consequently fell on her head. Thanks to the thickness of a headwear she wore, she only suffered hair loss when the girl had managed to run out into the heavy rain. Further assistance from Johannes contributed to her scarcity of burn wounds.

Levi had been ordered to keep watch, believing that in the company of another youth, the girl would feel more secure.

Unfortunately, Johannes didn't account for Levi to be so rude and aloof. He was something else and the girl definitely did not feel secure in the boy's company.

"You, cover your bald spot," Levi said, shoving the hat into your small hands.

You took it nervously, flinching as he walked passed. What was his problem?

You sighed and placed the hat on, keeping your hands clamped tightly on the sides as you headed out from a room. The placed looked like any other guild, no different than what you had seen from the military police. If anything at all, this place was situated nearer to the Wall's gates for purposes of other kinds.

From the outside the place was blocked off by numerous caravans. Entrance was built in two places aside from the windows. A gap in the roof and another was a door, but was guarded and hardly ever used. Outside were shady men disguised as military police members, however, were absent of the special contraption. Not like anyone would notice to begin with. The cloak on their back with the emblem was enough.

Early in the beginning you had learned that the soldiers were easy to buy off. Crime could be committed for the right price. On the morning after your discovery and taken in, a soldier came to the door with a sullen expression, his hands too fidgety to keep still. One of the thieves dropped a tinkling bag into the man's hand and with a nod, the soldier left.

At the time you hoped for the soldier to take you away. Far from here and maybe help you find your parents, yet the idea was a mere farce. A denial to a truth that your subconscious knew, but you wouldn't admit it.

Johannes had been adamant at first to tolerate your presence, often wondering why he took you in. You did yourself! You'd have preferred the drunk solder. The distance was strong, icy, but it melted one day.

"Where are your parent's?" the big man asked one morning.

You were silent at first, unsure of how to reply without revealing the fear that nearly choked you. You looked down at the sheets instead, tugging at them for support.

He was knelt beside you, observing your movements rather than looking into your face. If there was one thing he had learned in his years of expertise, it was always to look at someone's body. Actions typically spoke louder than words. Beside, you intentionally obscured your eyes behind a veil of hair.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" he asked, gingerly placing a hand near yours. You flinched and he was quick to back off. You shook your head slow, negatively.

He nodded once. "Right," he braced his knees and in one big sigh, he stood at full height. You looked up at him, wide-eyed. He was a Titan compared to you.

"You're welcome to join us for breakfast,"

"Okay,"

Silence draped in the air. Johannes was reluctant to leave. He glanced at you once and was reminded of his little girl.

No, he couldn't stand it.

The door clicked softly afterwards.

You eventually came out, furtive as a thief until those bug eyes of the boy zeroed in on you.

He was perched atop a crate sitting crisscrossed, and appeared to be bored. You wondered if he had been waiting for you to come out. Regardless, the sight of him made you slam into the door, hesitant. He made the unfortunate error of pointing out your bald spot. Something he would pay in time.

On the morning after your discovery, you awoke to him sitting on a bed across from yours. Upon notice of your awakening, he jumped off and slowly walked over. "Levi," he said proffering his hand, but the look of disdain was evident. Since then, he had been curt and only gave kindness in the presence of Johannes.

Still clutching the hat against your head, you followed after Levi, being sure to trail behind him rather than beside or ahead. The damn kid had a habit of knocking over the hat.

Upon being served, you kept one hand on the hand and the other on the bowl. Eggs and sliced fruit; depending on your rank in the thieve's guild, your meals differed based on importance in the group. The higher you were, the more likely you were to get meat.

You scurried to a table nearest to Johannes and scooted away when Levi joined you. The entire time you couldn't help, but notice the boy staring—more like scrutinizing—at you.

"Something on my face?" you whispered, drawing up the fork.

Levi went ahead and consumed. Johannes took notice of your presence and gave something like a smile to you. You returned it all too eagerly, making him look away. Your smile slowly fell apart. You looked down, dejected. You wanted to go home. You drew the hand still clenching onto the hat down, distracted.

What was to happen to you anyways? Would they send you off? You knew no harm would come to you. Johannes exuded the same warmth as your father had.

Even if restrained.

You cried that night.

You sobbed into your pillow, doing your best to be quiet but to no avail. A rustle of sheets shook you into awareness, going stiff and silent at once.

The young boy sighed and rubbed an eye tiredly. "Keep quiet or I'll kick you out of the room," he warned grouchily, "and don't think I'm kidding either."

Despite the warning, he had been the one to leave.

On the morning after a few tearful nights had come the decision of your fate. You sat away from your adversary and clutched your hat tighter than usual.

"We're going on a hike," the big Johannes announced. Levi had wanted to go, but was declined curtly after several no's.

"It's not fair," the boy argued, "Why do I have to stay behind and watch the prisoner?" he pouted, crossed his arms, and stamped a foot.

The men snickered behind their leader yet they ceased the second they were given an admonishing glare. He looked back down, glancing at you and then to the boy. His visage was hard.

"She is no prisoner, Levi, she is a guest and you will do well to remember,"

You were genuinely surprised.

"It is up to me whether we keep her or not, but until then you will watch her while I'm gone or you'll pay the consequences,"

Levi was momentarily shocked, unsure of what to say. His head lowered, defeated. Without much of a rebuttal he conceded.

Orders were orders.

When they all had left and Levi was still standing by the door gloomily, you returned to the room knowing what would happen next. The dark-haired kid complained for the rest of the day, demeaning you and telling you your worth, which was squat. Eventually, you had enough. You walked out of the room, hat still on, and found that Levi was nowhere.

You became anxious as you walked around, going near a lantern left on by Levi. Did he head into one of the other rooms? Maybe he decided to sleep now, you thought. You were in the process of heading back into your room until you felt your hat push over and fall with a thud.

Then one of his hands gripped your shoulder. You retaliated with a force you never knew you had. You spun to face him, finding his features darkened by the shadows of night and you allowed yourself to fall flat on your bum. The way his face brightened revealed his shock. Your eyes locked onto his feet and without hesitation you swung your right leg to collide with his, effectively sweeping and making him fall.

He gave out an alarmed cry, cursing your name. "Ouch!"

The adrenaline scorched his capillaries, the motor neurons shooting off at the speed of an arrow. He was fast in scrambling onto his feet, but your anger overpowered his superior reflexes. You were on him, your hands running to places that you had no control over. A hand ran onto his shoulder, your thumb pushing deep into the crevice between the clavicle and scapula where a nerve sat. Levi squirmed. Your other hand ran over the indentation of where the shoulder met, the head of the humerus where, with enough force could bring enough pain.

"K-knock it off!"

He was able to push you off by rolling over. Not expecting it, you fell flat on your side, astonished. Levi looked over you and rubbed at his neck, sniffling. You looked past him towards the draped windows.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked angrily.

You shifted your attention momentarily to Levi and back to the window, unblinking.

"You started it," you replied dully.

You brought Levi down without trouble. You couldn't believe it. You didn't even know what to feel. It was as if an animal possessed you. For an hour you laid there. Levi sat by the corner, watching you, his hand still at his neck. By the time everyone returned with the day's cargo in tow, they were surprised to find both you and Levi sleeping on the floor. In the morning the snitch had rat you out first.

"Well, you had it coming Levi," one of the men said. Johannes concurred. "How'd you let girl get the best of you, boy? Maybe she has worth after all."

The two of you were taken out for a walk by one of the men, a thin yet toned man named Rudy. He led you both down to a stream where he ordered for you both to stay at while he went to grab something.

Levi knew the day had been set up for reconciliation. He wouldn't do it. While you stood by the stream, watching the water glisten under the sun's luminous rays, you were careful of Levi. You looked over your shoulder to find him by a tree. He gave you an ugly look. You looked away. The contempt smoldered into the back of your head.

You heaved a heavy sighed and went to your knees, leaning over to see your reflection. Your hair was a mess, but you appeared to be in good shape.

After sometime sitting by the stream you came to the conclusion of your wrong doing, but the boy had been harassing you since the beginning. Regardless, you knew you had to apologize. Of course you didn't like it, but what else could you do?

For one thing you would have preferred for Levi to apologize first since he had been the instigator. However, you knew he wouldn't. The boy was as stubborn as a mule.

"Dummkopf," you growled. Getting to your feet you went over to Levi, his eyes closed. Being stealthy, you sat beside him, making sure to avoid being caught. You were successful.

Feeling the wind against your skin, you basked in it, glad for the beauty of the day. Sadly, it had been ended with the apology.

"I'm sorry Levi," you told him, avoiding the sudden glare thrown your way. You heard him scoot away.

"I don't need your apology,"

You sighed.

-

"So, did he ever forgive you?"

You looked up from the diary, dazed until Rosa's inquiry shook you from your reveries. You nodded.

"Yeah, he did," you withdrew your hands from the table, folding them over your thighs. "We ended up playing in the steam, he said, 'Since you were able to best me, I guess we can play together just this once, but you're not off the hook!'"

You both smiled.

A knock on the opened door brought both of you back into awareness. You turned your head over to see a young man with an envelope in hand. "Miss _?" he asked, studying the envelope and looked to you curiously.

You nodded and paced over to him, taking the letter and thanking him for his trouble. "It's from the military," he informed you. You dropped him a few coins and he went on his way.

Staring at the letter, brows knitted in thought, you slowly returned to the table. Retrieving a letter opener, you cut open the thick paper and slid out the contents. There was evidence of water stains and greased prints from food on the edges as you unfolded it. A smile shot across your face when you read the first line.

"Why, he's coming home in a few days," you told Rosa. She smiled at you from her seat. Her attention was focused more on the diary though.

"He says he would have made it in the top ten if he hadn't misbehaved," you laughed, "Oh dear, I shouldn't have taught him to run around like a squirrel." You placed a hand on your cheek, shaking your head as you perused the letter.

At the start of training in the military, a young man by the name of Weiss bounced in the air as he was held by the balancing contraption. He leaned forward, allowing gravity to sway him forward as he planted his hand against the ground to steady himself. With a sharp intake of breath, he let the weight of his legs to fall after him and he returned in place in a full 360 rotation.

"Knock that off, Wrange or it's the laps with you!" the strict bald man threatened. He grabbed onto the wires to stop him from doing any more.

"S-sorry sir!"

On that same afternoon, Lance Corporal Levi was asked to look over the new batch of kids to join the army. He conceded yet stated he would come late. By the time he arrived, a ginger haired girl by his side, he ventured through the familiar yet extended training grounds.

They were all green, he thought, confiding in the girl by the name of Petra who said that there would be potential recruits for their branch. He maintained his usual stoic expression and replied languidly, obviously disinterested with the task of having to come here.

The darkness began to weigh down, the horizon blending into a dark lavender while lights were alighted dimly in the cabins where the recruits slept.

"It's getting late," Petra pointed out, "I think we should be heading back now,"

The short young man nodded softly, scanning the area before turning around and heading back.

"Weiss, what do you think you're doing!?" a young girl shouted in alarm.

The two Legion members immediately turned back, their eyes widening when they saw a young man with silver blond hair standing atop of the lunch building's roof.

He implored to the girl to hush down before anyone caught wind of what he was doing. Too late for that, the leader and a member of the Scouting Legion found them just in time a short distance away.

Petra bristled under her cloak. "Levi, we have to stop him,"

"Is the army getting desperate now? The kid is insane." Levi agreed. Before they could reach over and scold him to come down, the young man disappeared briefly. Had he seen them?

No. A few seconds later he shot out from the darkness and hopped onto one of cabins with a silent thud, having performed a break roll to mitigate the impact on his back. Since all of the cabins and the large lunch building being in close proximity, there was no way he could have fallen, not with his jump, at least. A girl of long blond hair ran after him, horror plastered across her face with a hand over her mouth. She tried detecting him, hoping he was alright and before she could call out his name, he hopped from the cabin to the ground. He landed into a crouch and quickly rolled over again till he ended up in a kneeled position.

Hands risen above him, he cried out excitedly despite the girl telling him not to do such a thing again. "Wasn't that cool, Christa? A woman taught me how to be a squirrel!"

The girl was not amused. "No, it's not cool! You could have really hurt yourself, y'know?"

In their moment of a possible lover's quarrel, the two were frozen in place when the Lance Corporal made a loud scratching noise in his throat.

"What do you two think you're doing out after curfew?"

_But what I really want to know is what you meant by a woman teaching you how be a __**squirrel**__._

Levi thought, excusing the girl and ordering the boy to follow after him.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: This chapter focuses on Weiss, the story moves on in the next chapter.**

-

It had commenced with a kiss, but neither of you had anticipated the way it ended in the manner that it had. The memories of the disastrous path echoed briefly in the mind's eye of Levi as he observed the young man before him, looking pale and the vitality he exuded long gone. A woman of decent complexion and a hair of red had nervously entered the room, handing her superior the desired documents he ordered and left without another word. A light breeze swayed the drapes and the nervous boy felt the light draft cool his nerves.

Weiss Wrage was, for all intent and purposes, a huge egotistical young man who loved showing off his acrobatic skills. However, in audience of the small man, who bored into his soul with appraising eyes, nearly made the silver blonde boy regress to the child he had been before joining the military. Which wasn't too long ago, he left without saying a word. He sat uncomfortably in his seat, doing his best not to slouch as Levi leafed through some documents. It was customary to obtain a potential recruit's background and history, but for the teen in question, very little was available. While Weiss did his best not to fidget, he observed the immaculate office, admiring the cleanliness. Upon closer inspection, the meticulous way of tidying that seemed to be done in the corporal's room was reminiscent of the older woman back home who took over the orphanage. After a light clack of paper hitting against the desk in an attention grasping manner, Weiss sat erectly, bracing himself once the stern man leaned and rested his elbows on the oak desk.

Levi intertwined his hands, pressing his lips against an index finger. He spent a good minute to appraise the young Weiss who, having no more than two pages of background documentation, continued to pale under his scrutiny. The boy had come from an orphanage situated in Wall Rose. Child population in orphanages had skyrocketed after the assault on Wall Maria and it was rumored that the original owners in Rose had abandoned their establishment. After reading Wrage's papers, he never realized he'd find the name of the guardian somewhat familiar. He couldn't quite bring himself to believe it. The name was an alias, one he had known been used by someone in his previous line of work. It wasn't the same alias, it was tweaked slightly, but Levi couldn't assume the bearer was someone he once knew. At least, he didn't want too.

When the velvet skies finally faded to black, Levi switched on the oil lantern, without moving his sight from Weiss.

Once enough sweat had beaded down the boy's temples, the corporal decided to break the silence then. When he spoke, he swore the boy had taken a huge breath of air.

"Weiss Wrage, can you tell me what you were doing earlier this afternoon?"

Weiss couldn't help but to avert his gaze. An inclination only a child would do. Sometimes the corporal wondered if the age of 12 was too young to recruit, but the human species were dwindling. The force had no choice. He took back the documents and looked them over, already feeling Weiss' eyes follow after his every movement.

Even though he pretty much memorized the contents by now, Levi pretended to peruse the papers, but really his attention lingered over the familiar name.

"I was practicing the art of climbing and jumping, sir," Weiss finally said, after a hard swallow.

Levi withdrew the papers from his face, lowering it back down on his desk. It took a good fight to tear his eyes from the name.

"And where did you learn such an art?"

Weiss timidly looked away again. He answered Levi regardless. "Well, you see..." he took a moment to gather his thoughts. "A young woman taught me after I found her running up some walls one afternoon, holding a bag of, what I know now, were stolen goods and promised she'd teach me if I didn't tell the owners."

The muscles in Levi's jaws tightened.

From behind the small field of light the lantern provided, the corporal's dark eyes flickered with emotion. Thank the gods that Weiss Wrage was incapable of innately having the acumen of an adult at his age. With a nod, he dismissed the recruit. When asked of punishment, Levi only shook his head, although it did prompt the boy a pleading.

"Why do you insist on a punishment?" Levi asked, surprised.

"I did something wrong, I clearly need punishment otherwise I won't live myself with this... guilt."

_I guess she was very impressionable on Wrage,_ the dark-haired man thought. The memory amused him though his lips remained tight. "Fine, you can sweep every office,"

"Thank you, sir," Weiss was about to close the door until his superior advised him to be thorough with his office. Or else.

"You took some time with that recruit," Hanji noted when she entered five minutes after the boy had left. She looked away from the door and met her acquaintance's eye, surprised to find an expression she had never seen. As a scientist, the woman had an eye for detecting any changes, even in her human counterparts. It was safe to say, anyone else other than the singular observer, would not have been able to detect their captain's misted eyes.

"Was there something with the kid?" she asked.

He shrugged in a blasé manner, seemingly unperturbed by her inquiry and turned away towards the window.

"He reminded me of someone, is all," And not another word was uttered from him that night. Other than urging Hanji to get the heck out, that is.

-

The hand written text was illegible under the moon's light, yet you stared at it as you played the sorrowful arias of a blade being sharpened. Flicks of hot motes jumped from the contact of steel against whetstone, steam crawling up the air and fading with the wind when it came. Moonlit caressed cheeks darkened under the stress when you placed further muscle into the tempering of an old sword from years previous.

This practice, you thought bitterly, was not the same when the people who knew the sign were gone. It felt like a futile effort for no one joined. At one point the sharpening of the blades was to honor the death of a fallen girl you had never known. Overtime it had grown to be of habit and whenever the men were in the gloom, they would head out back and play the screeched song of the damned. It occurred only when the emotions were at its depths. The practice was not often, but when it happened, everyone typically joined. Except for him. He had a different manner in dealing with pain. It had come into the form of cleaning.

He eventually become anal about it as the years passed.

Feeling the weariness weigh down your hands, you stopped from the therapy. Glancing up at the dark skies, you stretched feeling the bones snap along your spine and your neck when you rotated your head. They were loud and simultaneously painful. It did the job though.

You glanced down at your hands, slowly flexing them despite the burn.

"I don't always think of you, but when I do, I wonder if you would have accepted who I am."

-  
The heat of the sun bore on your shoulders, tearing away at the skin to reveal the muscles and the bones that tied them. A cool edge of a blade was pressed against your neck, the wielder slowly digging into it. You peered down from the mighty wall, looking down at the many faces below. A shadow of a bird flew over, its shadow expanding to that of a monster as it swept over the town's square.

You wished you could follow.

"You beast," the voice growled.

You remained silent. Eyes shut, skin steaming, a searing pain running down your veins. There was absolutely nothing you could do.

He had left, leaving you entirely alone to be dealt by the capable. There was no way he could do anything about it.

"…."

The blade began to dig deeper into your neck as you looked up, your neck arching against the blade and the tears finally rolling over. The skin on your face slowly began to tear apart, steam sizzling upward like the remnants of a war torn town.

"What was that?" the executioner barked.

You dropped your head down once more.

This was it.

_If you can't do anything, I'll do something._

The wielder urged you to turn about, leading you to the edge facing the vastness of a world forever inaccessible.

In defeat you raised your arms like a bird prepared for flight. You felt warm blood trickle down your spine when you stepped forward away from the blade.

Briefly, you remembered an image from a book you once read in youth. There was a ship, there was a plank that protruded from the side, and on the end of it was a man to meet his doom and at the start of it was a man holding the blade. The crewmen watched, some in horror, and some in glee.

Some would say it needed to be done for the greater good. Others would say nothing at all.

The real question was; how could one determine such a thing?

No, you wouldn't go this way.

In a fleeting moment of fear, you escaped death. Side-stepping away from the blade, you ran in the opposite direction to meet the many faces below. There was no time to hesitate. This was it.

You leapt from the wall to meet your impending doom. Head first and the collecting wind lifted your hair. The marble floors expanded in size, greeting you in its embrace until an Earth shattering ruckus reverberated throughout the walls and the people tumbled onto their knees.

Eyes shot open in fear you realized you were midway meeting the ground. You felt suspended in the air; it was as though time had frozen.

"_!" You heard Levi scream from afar.

"How is a Titan inside Wall Maria!?" many voices cried below.

You were confused. Your heart pounded loudly in your ears and you swore it would burst if you didn't wake up. Yes, you were in dream, it had to be! For when you sat up you realized you were held in the massive hand of a Titan.

Its large grotesque hand had burst from the Wall, catching you before you could meet death. There was a heart-stopping wail to follow and the chorus of hookshots puncturing the Wall for support whistled loudly.

In dream, one couldn't see their hands, but you surely could see some part of your arm. The flesh that burned away matched the Titan's. You turned around to meet its huge ocular. It looked right back at you. A chill slithered down your spine. And before you knew it, you were swept away in the arms of Levi.

He held you close, his nose against your temple and he whispered something incoherent.

"L-levi! Watch out!"

The dream ended by making contact into a wall of a building. Jumping out of bed, you fell over to the side, crashing into the side table without realizing it. Surprised still, you propped yourself right back up and sprawled your arms and chest onto the bed, gripping onto the sheets for dear life.

Like an animal you scanned your bedroom, searching for the predator. Nothing was there, and then you looked to your arms, rubbing at them, feeling some bumps, but you made sure the skin wouldn't shed off. Alas, you relaxed, retracting your arms so to bury your face in them.

What a nightmare. The possibilities.

"Momma?"

A creak of the bedroom door swung open, at the frame of it stood a little boy. His hand clenched against an eye, he looked to you tiredly with inquisitive eyes. He resembled Levi, albeit with brown hair. You wondered if that is what your child would have looked like if you and Levi hadn't ended in the way it had.

Then again, you remembered that such a thing couldn't happen. It never would. Not in this world, that is.

"Momma?" little Erik asked groggily. His dark brown eyes searched the room in the same manner Levi had. The exact same way when that particular heist went wrong, the one where he fought like hell to make sure you would escape safely. The one where afterwards he said he wouldn't look after you ever again.

What a lie, you mused, thinking how in the end he did manage to keep that promise, after many failures.

"Todo está bien," you reassured him, knowing he would understand. You unsteadily got onto your feet, wiping away the wrinkles and headed over to the child. In close proximity you could see the dark line between his throat and collar bone, where the vital artery laid somewhere. The memory made you cringe.

He went for your hand and you took it, warming his cool hand and led him out.

*  
On the night of graduation, an Eren Jaeger admonished his fellow peers on their cowardice. The precursor of his fury was engendered by the urging of a young Thomas, who told him there was no point in fighting the Titans. It was a futile attempt, and the blonde wasn't the only who reciprocated the same sentiment.

Sure, there were the few who bristled beneath their fear and joined the Jaeger boy, but there were a few who didn't require such a morale boost. Weiss Wrage, a scar down his eye after a year of five, was one of them and sat farthest from the room. He was closest to the exit, but he paid little attention to what was going on. Before him was a cup of spirits, pen, and paper. To the best of his ability he scrawled some letters, hoping it would arrive to the caretaker in time before he would arrive.

In the beginning, after a harsh run-in with the glorified Levi Rivaille, the boy's convictions had turned. He wanted to join the Military Police, although not for the same reasons as everyone else. Well, not exactly. The difference lied in the fact that he wanted to move his orphanage there, so they could be protected. He wanted to protect his family and give himself up instead. It changed after many counseling under Levi, who urged him to join the Scouting Legion.

"If you want them to be protected, your contribution to outside the Walls would be of great value to us." The short man had said one night long ago. It was out in the training ground, hanging on the wire when Levi found him. Weiss nearly had a concussion if he didn't steady himself in time.

"Pull yourselves together and FIGHT!" Jaeger shouted, leaving the room with everyone stunned. The silver-blond young man hadn't noticed until he felt a blade of wind brush against him after Jaeger and his friends in tow had left.

He wrinkled his nose, pulled back his gangly silver locks, and tried to finish the letter.

How bothersome, Weiss thought, straightening out the paper. Perhaps he would have to write again on a clean one, the one staring back up at him was wrinkled from the edges.

He sighed.

"I'm not prepared for this, not yet,"

Weiss closed his eyes, thinking back five years previous when the commencement of putting things together started.

_Maybe that's why she didn't want me to join the military._

*  
"I'm glad you survived!" a young recruit crowed, hopping out of his seat from the lunch table.

The other boys familiar with the flying daredevil greeted him, being quick to make him spill the beans of what happened.

Weiss joined them in hesitation, still feeling his heart throb from excessive pulsations. One of the guys already brought him a tray, saying it was only because he survived the presence of the famed Levi.

"He's actually a short guy," he began. "seeing him mounted on his horse is mere deception," he lifted his hand to about his chest, "for he reaches to just about yay high."

Some of the boys snickered in between bites.

"But he seemed to get the best of even you, Wrage," a boy named Donnel said, leaning over his tray. He had come from some hunting village in Rose, well known to be fearless and therefore was one of Weiss's followers in the arts of wall climbing. Unfortunately, his legs weren't as strong as he had thought. Whenever he walked he'd limp from time to time. The other boys, Hans, Gunther, and Rikkert were more on the cautious side. Occasionally they'd participate, but preferred being on the ground.

"We'll be flying all over the place with the 3D gear, why not get used to heights now?" Donnel had asked on a later occasion.

Their response lined in the area of physical conditions and avoidance of reprimand.

"It doesn't matter," Weiss blushed, stuffing the hard bread down his throat. He tried to look away from the boys yet their burning stares embarrassed him.

"So, what's the punishment?"

"Cleaning, but I actually asked for it,"

The four boys blinked, exchanged glances, and glowered at their peculiar friend in an incredulous manner.

Rikkert, the one with few words, was the one to speak first. "What in the world were you thinking?"

The silver-haired boy shrugged. "I need to check something out,"

Later that evening under a pale moon, hands in his pockets and eyes focused to the ground, the boy kicked the dirt. Curfew would be announced soon enough despite the restlessness he had felt. In the first week his body, conditioned quickly to the schedule of the military camp, would have normally brought him to rest, but the events of the day made him worrisome.

Of course he couldn't detect the singularities at first, though with further contemplation of the corporal's manners made him suspicious. Was there something wrong with him that the man noticed?

Did the obscurity of his origins derail him? No, it possibly couldn't. More than half the recruits were orphaned after the attack on Maria. It was something else. What was it?

He trembled like an emaciated tree branch, riddled with a wind of doubt assaulting him. When he arrived to the grounds, Weiss wondered if he should stay out here or head back before they could find out he was missing.

Oh well, doesn't matter. He thought, gripping onto the pole of the balancing contraption as though to hold himself.

"What do you mean you want to join the military? Weiss, are you sure?" That was what she said a month after the attack. After a break-in by the refugees who were too wound up with stress and decided to steal from the orphanage. All in the name of food, to replenish themselves rather than the children who recently were taken in.

The scream made the drops of sweat cascade in rivulets. In the darkness of the shared room, all of the children were wide awake, but the bed beside Wrage was vacant. It belonged to a little boy by the name of Erik.

A girl from across the room urged Weiss to remain, but he dismissed her pleas and hurried out. A muffled cry drew him faster and he found little Erik held savagely in the arms of a crazed man.

The blade shimmered eerily beneath the light from the broken window, so did the man's eyes.

He was crouched, face nestled in the boy's hair, the blade already tearing into the child's neck, and he glared at _. The man threatened to spill the boy's blood dry and he would drink it if she didn't relent.

It was on this night that Weiss gained full confidence on the new caretaker. Her style of dress betrayed the beast hidden beneath. Knuckles white, teeth grinded, her eyes flaming in a way that no flame could match in its flickering beauty.

"Fine," she said in a flat tone. "Let the boy go and I'll give you whatever you want."

The man remained wary; slowly drawing his face from Erik's and appeared to sample his options.

If there was one thing Weiss had learned in all his life; it was that a deprived man is vulnerable to all distractions. After her teachings of stealth and the art of being a squirrel, as she would call it, the silver-blond boy had already crept closer in the safety of the shadows.

He grabbed onto a piece of glass, gripped it, and bit back the pain. Unfortunately, in his attempt to crawl by, the other pieces of glass tinkled lightly. The hot night air fell drastically and a chorus of grunts and movement began all at once. The man's knife dug slightly deeper, but once Weiss lunged towards him, he unlatched Erik and he ran to safety. Weiss was easily overpowered and pinned; however, the frightening moment lasted only a second when _ forcefully pulled the man off and onto his back and proceeded to slam her foot like a raging bull against his chest. A sickeningly crack pursued after the sudden exhale of struggling breath.

"Dios, my foot…" she staggered back, looming over the body to be sure that the perpetrator was certainly dead.

Her shoulders dropped, her head falling back as she released the tension from her body. A minute later, she drew her wild gaze upon Weiss who looked up at her in awe. The boy hadn't notice his hand dripping a pool of blood on the wooden floor. For some reason, it struck Weiss that his new caretaker wasn't quite who she was in that moment. It never occurred to him until he thought about it later.

She managed to recollect herself once she registered the situation by the cry of Erik.

"Gods," _ gasped and went for Erik.

Weiss glanced over the body, realizing only now that a man had died, in this establishment meant to be the home of the abandoned. Gingerly, he got onto his feet and ran out to call for help and the assistance was heeded.

A soldier, Weiss couldn't discern whether he had recently imbibed or not, appraised the situation.

"These refugees… savages," he had uttered, disdain contorting his features. No one paid him much attention.

_ had trembled in a seat, not of fear, but something else. Weiss would describe her trembling to the shaking of an animal trying its best not to react to its surroundings.

A nurse was able to accompany the soldier and tended further to Erik's wounds.

"R-remove this body, please, I can't keep the children in their room with this traumatic air permeating this home," _ had said. She ran a shaky hand through her bloodied hair, originating from Erik when she had pressed her hand against his wound and forgot to cleanse herself.

There was even blood on her face, her lips as well. At one moment she even licked her lips clean.

Weirdly, she wasn't perturbed in the slightest, not at all. Weiss wouldn't understand until later. It felt as though she was familiar with the situation, like she had—

"Wrage, what in the world are you doing out here?" a familiarly stern voice inquired. Shattering Weiss out from his reveries.

"Dios!" the boy nearly jumped out of his skin. Good thing he held onto the pole. His stretched shadow kept his attention, especially the other shadow that joined his. Ironically, it stretched out longer than Weiss'.

Levi inclined his head further, turning it slightly to see the boy's face, but his silver locks obscured his perturbed visage.

"_Dios?_" the man frowned, acting as if the word was bitter. "Shouldn't you say, _Gott_, instead?"

Weiss stilled. He knew the other tongue? Then that would mean—

"You look troubled, boy, maybe talking of home will make you feel better?"

The corporal's offer hung in the air. He sighed. "I'll escort you to the infirmary, but we will talk, soon."

In the span of five years, Weiss Wrage would gather his answers.

*

"Momma?" Erik inquired one morning, making an attempt to tug at a chair next to you. With a smile, you helped him by sliding your foot against a leg and pushed it for him.

The atmosphere was genuinely pleasant. Curtains spread open wide a refreshing breeze weaved by, gracing the flowers outside like a gentle dancing partner.

The other children had already cleaned up after themselves from breakfast and you sat tiredly at the table, pulling your sleeves over your arms.

"Yes?" you replied, smiling at the child. Your smile wilted slightly when you noticed the curiosity in his eyes.

Erik tugged at his locks, hesitation evident in his plump features, but his question lingered in his eyes. They were focused on your arms. Despite his size, he attempted to touch your arm, specifically the sleeve to pull back.

"What is it, Erik?" you asked. You retrieved your arm an inch.

His lips fell into a frown. He tried again.

"Where did you get those marks?"

You looked down at your arms.

"I was in a fire when I was young,"

The brunette tilted his head slowly. He appeared to be trying to make sense of your answer. Like a weight and his mind the scale, he would bob his head to weigh a future response. When he came to an answer, Erik looked to you again.

"How'd you get out?"

You blinked owlishly at him. You leaned back into the support of the chair, the memory weighing down as your lids closed.

"Hmmm…" you hummed. "A small knight saved me," you reopened your eyes yet you did not look back to Erik, instead you laid your gaze out the window.

Erik followed your gaze, tilting his head all the while.

"Would you like me to tell you about the small knight?"

His plump body straightened in the chair, eager.

"Please, momma."

You smiled faintly, your gaze still out the window.


	5. Chapter 5

[Weeks after the attack on Wall Rose]

The morning had risen far too early than he would have liked if he were to be honest. To say he was innately punctual would be a lie. As his queer acquaintance had put it, Levi was short, cranky, and a neurotic clean freak. (It hadn't always been that way) Although she could have said it in a much more pleasant manner, Hanji was nonetheless correct. And the cranky part was beginning to reveal its ugly face as of now. When the first inkling of sunlight bladed through the slender openings of his curtained window, it managed to pour at the foot of his blanket and extend upward till it reached just beneath his left eye. A minute later, the light cut through and the warmth of the ray sent signals throughout his entire body. At once his eyes shot opened and he was quick to lower his lids so to mitigate the sudden assault of drowsiness.

Glaring lividly at the window, he tore off his sheets and hopped out of bed, knowing that if he moved the sleepiness would quickly subside.

Gods, he was exhausted. He rubbed at his face and then at his temples, doing his best to sooth the constricted veins in his head which gave him a headache. Sliding his hands from his face, he glanced to the floor, speculating the cause of his exhaustion.

Ah, of course, damn it all. Levi thought bitterly, trudging to the wash bowl. He bent over, lowering his face while he delved his hands into the cool water and lifted it to his weary features. Four good splashes were enough to rejuvenate his senses yet his mind was troubled. There were many things to worry about, he realized, and the thought that plagued him should have been the last in his list of preoccupations, but it managed to run down the others and lined itself the first.

The kid, Weiss, damn it, that kid, he said something in the other tongue. True, there had been many people, at least the ones in Wall Sina, who had access to the former languages, but only the elite possessed them. Despite the main language that was largely spoken in the entirety of the mighty Walls, barely any knew anything foreign. All was lost outside the Wall and the inner inside.

Perhaps Weiss used to sneak into places, but the fact that he mentioned the woman who taught him to be a 'squirrel' was unmistaken. This link could more than likely bring the comfort he needed…

No.

Last thing Levi needed was to be reminded of his past. Not everything of course, but rather her, the girl he grew up with. Things had ended badly.

Things he preferred not to be remembered.

In the hall a door had opened and snapped shut, grabbing Levi from his worries. It wasn't difficult to figure out who it was. The soft footfalls coming down from the far left of his room had become incredibly silent the second they reached his room. When she had passed, her footfalls returned.

Petra was already awake and surely she was to make breakfast for everyone else. Of course, the corporal never paid much attention to his members unless they were discussing battle tactics. Any other time he liked silence. There were the occasional moments where he'd engaged in small talk, but they were typically succinct and to the point. When it was with either Petra or Hanji, he'd just listen and enter his input the best he could. Overall, Levi wasn't much for conversation.

Trust is built through actions, not words.

Anyone could say anything, he realized, however, their actions spoke the loudest. This was one thing that stuck out the most from his childhood. In a band of thieves, teamwork was everything and movement was what brought profit.

Movement: A particular instance or manner of moving.

A particular fashion that was well in-tuned with the rest, so a group could function to the best of their ability. Because of this was why Levi chose who he had picked. His men were superior to the rest and he required those who were on his level.

Though, he did wonder how things would have been had she joined.

Nonsense.

Levi shook his head. He needed to get the thought out of his system. After dressing himself in his military garb, he exited his room and looked over to see that all the rooms were opened, indicating everyone was awake. It had become a rule that the doors must be opened otherwise Levi would come down with a vengeance.

"Morning, Corporal!" Petra greeted, the scent of eggs and meats filling the air. He took in a deep, appreciative sniff, feeling his stomach tremble in response. Giving her a nod, Levi took his place at the head of the trestle table. Everyone else welcomed him tiredly and under normal circumstances, the Corporal would have given them a silent glare. Instead, he gave them all a half-hearted nod.

A trencher in hand, Petra hurried to his side, placing his breakfast before him and returned to the kitchen. Levi stuffed a napkin over his cravat and draped another over his lap. Two bites later did her screech tear the silence in the commons asunder. All the men went rigid in their seats. Utensils in mid-rise, a bite about to be taken, a swallow interrupted. A second later they all moved as they would when tackling a Titan. The chairs groaned from being either relieved or pushed aside. At once they entered the kitchen, steam undulating into the air from the searing liquid covering a good portion of the floor. Petra, crouched, nursed at her wrist where the liquid had burned her. Beside her the skewer with cracked plates were scattered.

A laugh removed the intensity of the situation. Auruo, the Levi wannabe, as Petra would put it, stepped forward and was the first to tend to Petra. Gunter, a young brunette, went for the window, sliding it open so the steam would no longer permeate the area. Everyone else went to cleaning after Levi sent a glare at them all.

Don't just stand there, his eyes said.

The redhead looked to her Corporal, her eyes glimmering in restrained pain. The pupils widened when all she received was a shake of his head and he left with a livid expression washing over his face.

Aururo noticed the exchange, whispering comfort into her ear while he ordered the underlings to fetch a pail of cool water.

"What's wrong with Levi? He just went out of there without a word…"

The chatter remained boisterous, declining in volume the farther he went. Levi didn't have to be in close proximity to see the red swelling on her wrist. A memory overcame at that instance. Frustrated, he tore the napkin from his neck, his cravat ruined in the process.

Gods above, why must this be happening? He slammed the door of his room behind him, deciding against taking occupation in his office. They would have looked for him in there first before his room.

He collapsed onto his bed, bracing his knees before making a mess of his sheets so to repair them again. Afterwards, Levi went ahead to his closet, tearing his neatly hanged clothes to the ground just to fix them. Upon completion of that he looked over his room, realizing how tidy it is. How infuriating.

He needed to clean, and now. The anger he held threatened to overflow. He needed his mind to be stimulated, be preoccupied, anything to distract from the memory playing in his head.

"If only the fires could have consumed her!" Levi grumbled. In the heat of his anger the words quickly pacified him, chilling him with shame.

"Dios," he ran a hand down his face. Shoving his back against a wall, he slipped downward. No tears fell, nothing. Eyes closed he allowed the burning memory to overtake his mind.

-

[The past]

The mission had gone wrong, terribly wrong. Johannes wondered if he did well in bringing his younger members here. They were ordered to wait out by the postern gate after completing their small contribution. Young Lev argued against this task, saying the girl could handle herself, but the lead thief rejected it.

"Taking care of another builds character, Lev," the tall man explained, ruffling the boy's hair while he motioned for his men to initiate the heist.

They were deep in the inner district, a place where the king had resided. The portcullis had been drawn up by paid Military Police, allowing a disguised caravan of merchants to flow through. In the early night when the stars glittered across the skies like diamonds in a cave, Levi had given her the death glare. Despite being single-handily immobilized by the girl, the boy still had the guts to give attitude. After they traveled midway to a castle of a noble, Rudy, one of the older boys, signaled the two to hurry out of their hiding places.

He dropped out from the decrepit carriage, refusing to offer _ a hand as she watched her footing.

"Quit being an ass, Levi," Rudy scolded. The older boy snatched a couple of tattered cloaks from his satchel, draping them over the two. He had been rough with the young boy, but he offered a sweet smile and gentle hands to _. Framing her face with the cloak, his calloused hand fell across her soft cheeks, gently caressing her to which engendered a giggle. Beneath the cowl of his cloak Levi felt an irritating heat rise in his plump face.

Rudy's hand held her chin. Without hesitation he dropped to one knee, brushed his lips against her brow, and stood again. For a 13 year old boy, Rudy was quite tall.

One day you'll grow tall, Levi, I promise. The boy said. Unfortunately, the future had not been so kind to Levi, in so many ways than one.

"Be careful," Rudy urged. Levi wondered whether the warning had been directed to them both or just _. It didn't matter now. The two children joined hands and ran into the darkness of a plaza.

Rimmed around in rails of bronze sat a statue with an ornate grove arching over it. Blood red roses were scattered in abundance, framing the statue and giving off an enchanting sight. Before the intricate statue of the old King was a gondola, a large bell hanging within. It was only to be rung in case of gatherings, making the plaza an area of where many speeches were spoken and listened too.

The plan had been to ring the bell, knowing that despite the ungodly hour, the people would come. Johannes was already ahead with two of his trusted men, Rickon and Byron.

Levi ran up the steps onto the platform, grasped onto the lever and gave three hard tugs. Both he and the girl clasped their hands over their ears. He looked down the steps to see her waiting, scouting out before prodding him to follow. He met her, taking her hand roughly and they both watched the many windows glow up.

"To the alleys," she said.

He led her to their set path.

As the creaks of doors opened, the two trotted down the marbled path, ignoring how the denizens looked after them tiredly. One had assumed them to be trouble makers, claiming that they were the hooligans who had rung the bells.

Eventually they arrived at the planned destination, waiting before the massive postern gate of the kingdom.

Two guards rocked on their feet, giving cursory glances at the two when they arrived. The older man made a twitch of his massive nose, grunting. "I didn't think they'd start so young,"

"One of them a girl, no less," the younger one added.

Levi had already released her hand, wiping his against his trousers and leaned away as though she carried the plague.

_ glared up from beneath her cowl, flames lighting up her eyes. She stepped forward and stuck out an opposing finger.

"You're no different," she said, "you sin like any other, but the difference between us and you is that we help our own whereas you two only help yourself. If you didn't want to be bothered of the conduct here, you could have chosen the Wall!"

Taken aback, Levi turned towards her. "Are you insa—"

"Such a precocious little wench, aren't you," the younger began, tightening his grip on the haft of his pole. "Now why don't you say it close up to my face,"

"I would if my legs were longer,"

Before anymore could be said, a loud explosion rang out from the bailey. In the skies afar a hint of grey and red began to tint it in an undulating fashion. Both guards and children froze up. Exchanging glances, they ordered the men above to winch up the gate and the older guard told the two to hurry out.

Levi nodded and began his stride until _ scurried off in the direction of the chaos. He looked after her, incredulous. "Where do you think you're going!?"

"To help!" she shouted back, becoming smaller and smaller the further she went.

What did the younger guard say about her? Precocious? Not quite. Levi frowned.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he said.

"You'd be a fool if you follow after her, boy," the older guard stated, "Better you leave through here where your group of brigands await."

No truer were his words would he have gone, but the faint voice of Johannes whispered in his ear. "You're to watch after her, Lev,"

The boy stomped his foot, sighing. Gods be damned.

"Sadly I'm not allowed to be wise enough to leave on my own," Levi admitted to the guards, "I have to go retrieve her before she does something stupid or it's my hide."

Someone decided to let blow a barrel of rum, left outside unwisely nearby. Whatever happened to engender this, the cause had little pertinence while Johannes assisted Byron to haul out Rickon.

The noble home was too far from the plaza where the children rung the bell, intending to bring all the denizens from having their attention elsewhere. In fact, the noble house was nowhere near where the commoners could lay their eyes upon. There had been no bar in sight, in fact, it lay farther south where it hid amongst many walls with a small gap for exit and entrance. It contained a few stands, a quiet horse stable, an armory to the left hand side (where they scaled) and bunches of haystacks. They tried to break in by using a new technique an older fellow had demonstrated. The man was a family friend of Rudy.

Now, if you pay close attention to the architecture of our buildings, one can easily climb by the gaps and protrusions that can be seen. The silver-haired daredevil had said.

An easy feat it was not. Johannes had to slim down an iota before he could be nimble enough to master this technique. _ had expressed keen interest in this a week prior to now, claiming it to be amazing.

The man had told her it was something she shouldn't do without supervision and he didn't want her doing it anyway. She had thrown a fit and the bickering of Levi was the only thing to placate her intent. The one time Johannes was glad for their arguing.

"No one was home!" Byron exclaimed, taking the unconscious Rickon from his superior.

Johannes was the first one down, wiping his hands hastily before extending them. He parted both legs and stood in a horse-riding stance, fixing a balance where he would be difficult to knock over. The flames began to drape the area, fog of smoke beginning to envelope and form a hazardous barrier.

"Okay, I got this, Byron, let him drop,"

The man addressed as Byron, a dark-haired man near 30 with a scar over his forehead watched hesitantly. Unwrapping Rickon's right arm from his neck, he placed it on the left and he hefted the young man over his shoulder with a grunt. Tugging him comfortably further on his left shoulder till Rickon's waist nestled awkwardly upon it, Byron leaned over and allowed the man to fall.

"Got him!" Johannes cried. He almost dropped him, but the boy was unscathed. "Now join us, Byron,"

"Can you catch me as well? It's so much work climbing."

"Get down your lazy ass, and be quick about it!"

Byron laughed half-heartedly, going his way where the hidden steps lay. Turning his back a sudden whistle of wire wisped through the air. A crunch of steel against stone broke the chorus of crackling flame and a strident cry of a child joined.

"N-no!"

Once Levi arrived at the plaza, another blast had occurred. The blooming arch over the old King's statue was aflame. Everyone ran amongst themselves, knocking each other down and not really going anywhere. Levi had to brace himself against the walls before he found space near another path. Before setting foot he caught a glimpse of Rudy running away from the statue, seeming alarmed and suspicious.

No mystery of who did what. No longer had Levi spied him that his gaze was returned. The tall boy gesticulated for him to go. He knew they would meet up on the other side.

"Why are you setting off fires, Rudy?" the boy asked. They both breathed heavily like dying donkeys. Rudy was bent over and bracing his knees.

"Only the second one, Lev," he gasped, "whoever did the first one, I only intended to bring their attention away from where the others are at,"

"Have you seen _?"

"No, wasn't she with you?"

"…She ran off, most likely to where Johannes is,"

Rudy lifted his head up, glaring down at Levi while he tried to get his bearings. Glistening with perspiration, soot stained, and donning scarcely burnt flesh, the older boy looked wild and the answer from Levi only made him appear more so.

He dropped his head once more, shaking it disapprovingly. "You got to be kidding, Lev,"

"She didn't listen to me!" Levi cried, "What could I do? At least I followed after her!"

"And lost sight of her,"

They went quiet.

"I know where she quite possibly went,"

"How are we going to find her if you say 'possibly'?"

"Only one way, Lev," the blond said, standing to his full height. "I hope you're not acrophobic,"

*

Byron managed to come down.

In pieces.

The perpetrator was obscured by the flames, a scarf wrapped around his face to keep the fumes away as he turned to face a flabbergasted Johannes.

There was no way he could escape if a soldier was here, not with the disadvantages he had. He heard the cry of a child, who he hoped wasn't who he thought it was. There was a good chance the man hadn't heard it while he brought Byron down.

Already the stench of flesh wafted about, causing the hairs on his body to stand on end.

_, meanwhile, watched from behind a stack of hay, her forearm pressed against her nose. She had did her best not to choke yet her eyes stung. She moved about in the stealthiest way possible. Pawing her way behind stacks of hay and the occasional wooden box, she neared the armory where she found the side window opened a crack. Delicately, she lifted it open as quietly as she could. Once inside she ran about, scanning the armed walls in hopes of finding anything to use. Many where swords and battleaxes, none she could use and barely lift in the first place. Outside, harsh words were exchanged, propelling her to hurry faster before Johannes could be slain.

By the door, an odd shape like a shrinking circle caught her eye. Below it was a quiver with silver arrows.

_Archery! I know how to use a bow!_

Vaguely. She had only seen Rudy use one from time to time. There had been drills when Johannes wanted to see if Rudy could reach a height in time and use the arrows quickly after. The older boy could be fast, but he would need to develop more strength so his speed would remain constant.

It was rather flimsy upon inspection, meant for a starting hunter, but she had no complaints. Lucky it was for her in fact despite the bow being somewhat long. Slinging the quiver over her shoulder, _ struggled to slip out from the window and hurried behind a stack to act as a cordon.

"I don't understand what you mean," she heard Johannes waver, "I paid generously, why are you scrapping this whole heist?"

The soldier said nothing. He appraised the leading thief quietly as he inched closer. His calloused hands tightened over the hilt of the special blades while he prowled further. Each step more threatening and anticipating than the last. Whether he walked normally or was just a dramatic effect of the situation, no one really knew other than the little voice of survival telling them to flee.

Johannes never moved an inch. With his back to her she watched carefully, sliding an arrow from the quiver and began preparing to launch it.

This could be the moment, she realized.

Look over your surroundings. Gauge them and decide whether or not to strike. _ remembered these words from Rudy when he had taken it up to himself to teach her how to use a bow. Johannes never knew, but like with most things relating to combat or anything ill-befitting a girl, he didn't enjoy the idea of _ learning them. Regardless, such things never eluded the girl.

Smoke permeated the area in a thick grey cloak. No one could see and going by the coughs of the two men, she knew that this whole ordeal would be over soon.

She pulled the collar of her shirt over her nose, rubbed at her eyes and positioned the bow. One eye closed, a single arrow to the stranger's raised blade wielding hand, released her hand and the arrow flew.

There was a mistake however.

The arrow barely slipped past the leading thief's head the second a familiar voice cried, "Johannes!"

"Ugh!" the stranger groaned.

_ glanced briefly in the direction of the voice, relieved to see the tall slender frame of Rudy. However, she looked back to see the stranger drop both blades and see him use his other hand to cradle the wounded one.

Johannes kicked the man over the second he proved vulnerability.

"Jo!" the girl screeched, dropping the bow and quiver and ran over to her father figure. Both she and Rudy arrived to him in seconds flat, coughing and heaving.

"Rudy! _! Why are you two here? Most importantly you, _" he exclaimed. "Nevermind actually, we have to get out of here,"

No argument there.

Before they could all move, _ shrieked like a banshee when she fell on her face. Looking over she realized that the stranger had yanked at her ankle. He struggled to get his bearings yet he managed to grab his blade and pull her further along with him near the flames.

"Let her go!" Both Johannes and Rudy demanded.

_ wiggled and writhe under the stranger's touch, her stomach churning and threatening to heave her previous meal after the prolonged exposure in the ablazed area.

"It's you that I wanted," _ heard him say. Eyes wide she tried to take a good look at him, but he forced her away. He continued, "But to be sure, let's see if this will work,"

The young girl screamed. The heat became unbearable when the stranger neared her to the flames.

[Back to the present, the month before the 57th expedition outside the Wall]

"But not today," you said in a different voice, bringing your hands over your head and gliding them before you as though you carried a blade.

"And that's how the small knight saved you?" little Erik looked to you with eyes the size of plates.

"He took the blade the stranger neglected to gather and stabbed him from the side," you explained to the orphan, who took up the habit of calling you his 'momma'.

"That's amazing," was all he could say. "but what did the bad guy mean when he said that he wanted you?"

From your seat at the table, you stood to your feet and headed over to the sink. "Johannes later explained that his arrangements were never fully paid due to something never making it to a promised other and they knew he had picked up a young girl that he had grown fond of," you explained.

_It was true, you thought, for the most part._

"Did you and the small knight lived happily ever after like in the stories you tell us?" Erik turned in his seat, his hands on the support of the chair.

You smiled grimly at him before focusing your attention to the clean sink.

"No," you said after a sigh. "We didn't,"

_We never could have anyway._

The little boy made a face. "But that doesn't sound like a happy ending at all."

You stalled before the sink before deciding to head out. "It's not," you agreed, "this story doesn't have a happy ending."

_And after Levi had saved me from the stranger, he had looked down at me and managed to say, "After this, don't expect me to look after you ever again,"_

And he had kept it, after breaking the promise a few times, but he had still kept it in the end.

You told Erik to play with the others while you went out to get fresh produce.

**-**  
**AN: It's been a long while. I know. Busy with college and dealin' with the home life. Amounts of reviews expedite the coming of the next chapter because with this dismal mood I carry, not much inspiration is hitting me. ._. Hope y'all enjoy.**


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